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Three Students Awarded Study Abroad Scholarships

From left: Taylor Mays, Keya Marie Jest and Brier Alexander
 

Savannah State University Students Awarded Study Abroad Scholarships

Three students Awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship for travel to Ghana

Three Savanah State University (SSU) undergraduate students have been awarded scholarships from the U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program to travel to Amankwakrom in eastern Ghana in summer 2024. The study abroad trip will tackle issues related to poverty, maternal mental health, social and emotional learning, and teen pregnancy.

Students Brier Alexander, Taylor Mays and Keya Marie Jest, all social work students, are the recipients of the Gilman scholarship. They will join an additional seven SSU students who will also participate in the study abroad experience. They will be accompanied by Dr. Roenia Deloach, SSU professor of Social Work, and Dr. Catherine Gayle, chair of SSU’s Department of Social Work.

The trip is a collaborative effort with California State University (CSU)/Stanislaus’ Professor Sevaughn Banks, who is traveling with about 10 of her students and other university experts in the fields of medicine, health and social work. Students from the University of Ghana at Legon will also join the teams from SSU and CSU/Stanislaus.


This coming spring, the SSU team will engage in fundraising efforts on campus to be able to purchase feminine hygiene products and other needed supplies to take to Ghana. The study abroad effort falls under the umbrella of the act-global-initiative tagline.


“The Ghana Study Abroad Program incorporates a service-learning instructional methodology that integrates community service with academic instruction as it focuses on critical, reflection thinking and civic responsibility, said Dr. Deloach. “This program involves students in organized community service that addresses the local needs, while developing their academic skills, sense of civic responsibility, and commitment to the community.”

Comments

  1. Study Abroad ConsultantsNovember 18, 2024 at 1:25 AM

    If anyone’s nervous about starting their Overseas Education journey, don’t be! There’s so much support out there for international students, from scholarships to community groups.

    ReplyDelete
  2. doremonMay 11, 2026 at 11:34 PM

    DSFHG

    ReplyDelete
  3. North Western Education ServicesJuly 25, 2026 at 3:37 AM

    What a meaningful initiative. The fact that three social work students from Savannah State University received the Gilman Scholarship to travel to Ghana and work on issues like maternal mental health and teen pregnancy shows how powerful study abroad can be when it is tied to genuine community impact rather than just academic credit. The collaborative structure bringing together students from SSU, CSU Stanislaus, and the University of Ghana is exactly the kind of cross-institutional, cross-cultural engagement that produces lasting perspectives.

    Reading this from an Indian education context, it is a useful reminder of how much students gain when they step into unfamiliar environments with a clear purpose. For Indian MBBS students choosing to study abroad, the long-term benefits go well beyond the degree itself. Institutions like Osh State University in Kyrgyzstan, which collaborates with over 325 universities across 33 countries through programs like Erasmus+ and DAAD, offer students a similarly internationally connected academic environment. Compared to many Russian universities, Osh also offers a shorter five-year program and a climate that is considerably more familiar to South Asian students. North Western Education Services supports Indian students specifically through the Osh State University admission process for those who want to explore this option further.

    ReplyDelete

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